Israel’s Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz and the Minister of Environmental Protection Gilad Erdan, paid an official visit to Hong Kong on 3-5 May. They were joined by Deputy Minister of Finance Yitzhak Cohen and Ministry of Finance Director General Haim Shani, among other leading business people.

The delegation was on its way to the Israeli Pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

While in Hong Kong, Minister Steinitz met with a number of senior officials of the Hong Kong SAR Government, namely Financial Secretary John Tsang, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau, Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau, Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited Ronald Arculli, and Director- General of Invest Hong Kong Simon Galpin.

He also met Li Ka-shing, Chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited, as well as other local business executives and leaders of the Hong Kong Jewish Community.

Secretary Edward Yau, who visited Israel last November, hosted a welcome dinner for his Israeli counterpart. Minister Erdan delivered a keynote speech on Israel’s experience in promoting green technology and future potential collaboration between Israel and Hong Kong. Local businessmen in leading industries were among the guests at the dinner.

The dignitaries also attended a reception celebrating Israel’s 62nd Independence Day and visited the Hong Kong stock exchange and the EcoPark.

On 6 May the delegation offi cially inaugurated the Israeli Pavilion at the World Expo. That day, Albert Einstein’s original manuscript of his theory of relativity was displayed inside the pavilion.

In the evening Israeli artist David D’or together with the Hora Jerusalem Dance Troup presented an audio-visual feast for an enthusiastic audience.

_{(Issue June 2010)}